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Nuclear power plant

A thermal power plant, in which the energy (heat) released by the fissioning of nuclear fuel is used to boil water to produce steam. The steam spins the propeller-like blades of a turbine that turns the shaft of a generator to produce electricity. Of the various nuclear power plant designs, pressurized- water reactors and boiling-water reactors are in commercial operation in the United States. These facilities generate about 20 percent of U.S. electrical power.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, February 15, 2023